Semifinals Results
PALM DESERT, Calif. (Feb. 13, 2024) – The Northern Arizona University women's golf team is off to tomorrow's championship match after defeating Wyoming in today's Mountain Classic Match Play semifinals, 4-0-1. The Lumberjacks are in action in Palm Desert, Calif., at The Classic Club and are 2-0 on the week after defeating Montana State yesterday, 3-0-2.
NAU will now play St. Thomas in tomorrow's finals, who advanced to the championship after beating Boise State, 3-1-1.
In today's match play semifinal round,
Lizzie Neale (3&1),
Amy Hodgkins (4&3),
Lorel Hayward (5&4) and
Ekaterina Malakhova (3&2) all picked up victories for the Lumberjacks.
Neale remained all square with her Wyoming opponent through the first four holes until she birdied the fifth hole and never relinquished the lead, birdying the final two holes to secure the 3&1 win.
Hodgkins played a tight match as well through the early goings. The freshman was all square through the first four holes when a birdie on the fifth put her ahead. A bogey on the next hole tied the match again, but her Wyoming opponent would bogey hole seven allowing Hodgkins to move ahead. She never lost the lead again, finishing with four birdies on the day for her second victory of the week.
After dropping her match yesterday, Hayward bounced back with ease today. She birdied the first hole and never looked back, leading the entire day to win 5&4 with four birdies on the afternoon.
Malakhova nearly led from start to finish as well. Her opponent birdied the first hole to take any early lead and the pair would be all square up until the fourth hole when Malakhova birdied for the lead. The senior would continue to lead the rest of the way, birdying two out of the final three holes.
Ellena Slater battled her opponent, Kyla Wilde, falling 1&0 as the pair was all square for nearly the entire round. Heading into the 15
th hole, Slater and Wilde had been tied for four consecutive holes until a bogey gave Wilde the lead back. Wilde then bogeyed the 16
th hole, and the pair were all square heading into the 18
th. On the final hole, Wilde earned a birdy when Slater bogeyed, allowing Wilde to win 1&0.
Nina Lukyanenko is competing as an individual but defeated her opponent 3&2 to advance to tomorrow's individual championship. Lukyanenko led from start to finish, birdying the second hole.
Frankie Dezis also competed as an individual and lost 3&2.
Tee times for tomorrow's championship match against St. Thomas begin at 11 a.m. Mountain Standard time with live scoring available
HERE on Smart Golf.
